The T20 WC warm up matches 2026 kicked off on Monday, February 2. Teams are using these games to prepare for the big tournament. The actual T20 WC starts February 7, giving squads just days to fine-tune everything.
India sent two different teams for their games. Suryakumar Yadav leads the senior squad while Ayush Badoni captains India A. This smart approach lets more players get valuable match practice before 2026’s biggest cricket event.
India’s Warm Up Match Schedule
India’s main team plays just one warm-up match against South Africa. That happens February 4 at DY Patil Cricket Stadium in Navi Mumbai. South Africa finished as runners-up in 2024, so this won’t be easy.
India A already faced the USA in their first warm up game. They’re scheduled to meet Namibia on Friday for more practice. These matches help the backup players stay sharp and ready.
The T20 WC 2026 warm up matches follow different rules from regular games. Teams don’t need to announce a fixed playing eleven at toss time. All fifteen squad members can participate during these early sessions.
Special Rules Make Warm Up Matches Different
Here’s where things get interesting for this phase. Teams can rotate players freely throughout matches this season. Only eleven players bat or field at any given moment though.
| Date | Match | Venue | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Feb | Afghanistan vs Scotland | BCCI Centre of Excellence Ground 1, Bengaluru | 3:00 pm |
| USA vs India ‘A’ | DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai | 5:00 pm | |
| Canada vs Italy | M.A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai | 7:00 pm | |
| 3 Feb | Oman vs Sri Lanka ‘A’ | Colombo Cricket Club Ground, Colombo | 1:00 pm |
| Netherlands vs Zimbabwe | R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo | 3:00 pm | |
| Nepal vs UAE | M.A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai | 5:00 pm | |
| 4 Feb | Scotland vs Namibia | BCCI Centre of Excellence Ground 2, Bengaluru | 1:00 pm |
| Afghanistan vs West Indies | BCCI Centre of Excellence Ground 1, Bengaluru | 3:00 pm | |
| Pakistan vs Ireland | SSC Cricket Ground, Colombo | 5:00 pm | |
| India vs South Africa | DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai | 7:00 pm | |
| 5 Feb | Zimbabwe vs Oman | Colombo Cricket Club Ground, Colombo | 11:00 am |
| Nepal vs Canada | M.A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai | 1:00 pm | |
| Australia vs Netherlands | R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo | 5:00 pm | |
| New Zealand vs USA | DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai | 7:00 pm | |
| 6 Feb | Italy vs UAE | M.A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai | 3:00 pm |
| India ‘A’ vs Namibia | BCCI Centre of Excellence Ground 1, Bengaluru | 5:00 pm |
Coaches love this flexibility because they can test different combinations. Batsmen try various positions, bowlers experiment with new deliveries, and fielders practice unfamiliar spots. Everything’s allowed during match time.
Substitutions work differently too compared to official T20 WC games. Players swap in and out during fielding without restrictions. This helps manage workloads before the tournament pressure hits hard.
Results from these games don’t count toward any standings. Winning doesn’t matter—preparation does. Teams focus purely on getting ready for 2026 without worrying about losses.
Where and When to Watch
The games happen across three cities. Bengaluru and Mumbai host games in India. Colombo in Sri Lanka takes care of the rest.
Match timings vary throughout the day in 2026. The earliest match starts at 1 PM IST. The latest begins at 7 PM IST for evening viewers.
Star Sports Network telecasts all T20 WC games live across India. Their coverage includes expert analysis and multiple language options for fans.
Want to stream these matches on your devices? JioHotstar’s app and website have you covered. Both platforms carry live feeds of every game without delays.
